Fruit-basket



(No Model.)

W. H. GADWELL.

FRUIT BASKET.

No. 440,136.. Patented Nov. 11,1890.

NITE *rares IVILIIAM H. CADWELL, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

FRU lT-BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,136, dated November11, 1890.

Application iilei March 24:, 1890. Serial No. 345,050. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. CADWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, haveinventeda new and useful Improvement in Baskets for Shipping' Fruit andfor other Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of baskets.

The object of my invention is to provide a basket of a simple,efiicient, and durable construction which may be cheaply and rapidlymanufactured, which will be adapted to resist any tendency to collapseor spring together, and which will also be adapt-ed to support onebasket on top of another without danger of injury to the fruit, eggs, orother contents of the tbasket, and which when empty will nest togetherfor economy in shipment.

My invention consists in the novel devices and novel combinations ofparts and devices herein shown and described, and more particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,\vl1ich form a part of this specification,and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1isa perspective view of a basket embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a topor plan view showing the cover removed, with the exception of the lowercross tie or slat of the cover. Fig. 3 is a partial vertical centralsection laken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, A represents the wooden bottom ofthe basket; B, thewood slats composing the vertical sides of the basket, and C the metalband or hoop, which encircles the basket near its bottoni and serves tobind the slats B B together and to the bottom A. The iiat metal band Cis secured in place by tacks or small nails driven through the slats Binto the bottom A at intervals. The wood slats B are bound and securednear their upper ends by binding-wires D D, twisted together between thecontiguous slats, so that the twists d d of the wires will cause thewires D D to slightly embed and firmly grasp or hold each slat securelyin place. The twists CZ d between the slats also serve to separate thecontiguous slats at their upper ends and give the vessel or basket aiiare or taper. The slats B B fit or preferably t snugly together attheir lower ends, as is clearly shown in the drawings, as by this meansthe basketis given greater strength and rigidity. The two meeting endsof the wires D D, which individually embrace the slats B, are furnishedwith loops or pockets d d', through both of which one of the slats B-isinserted, thus securing the two ends of the double binding-wirestogether. This not only affords a very simple and efcient means ofsecuring the ends of the double binding-wires together, but it alsoinsures an even spacing between all the slats,- so that the baskets maybe readily made of a uniform size. This enables them to be used asbushel or other measures.

The wood cover F is preferable composed of a series of longitudinalslats f, cut of a circular shape and conforming to the exterior upperdiameter of the basket, so that the cover will rest flat upon the top ofthe vertical slats B. The cover F is provided on its under face with across tie or slat H, conforming to the interior upper diameter of thebasket, so that the ends of this tie or slat II will iit within thebasket and abut against the vertical slats B. The tie or slat H willthus prevent the collapse or springing together of the vertical sides ofthe basket in the direction this slat H extends. To prevent thecollapsing or springing together of the vertical sid es of the basket inthe direction at right angles to the slat or tie H, I provide this slator tie H at each end with a wire staple or loop h, adapted to lit overthe ends of the two opposite vertical slats B B, against which the endsof the tie H abut. These staples h will thus prevent the sides of thebasket springing outward at the extremities of the tie H, and thereforethus also prevent the sides of the basket collapsing or springingtogether in a direction at right angles to the bar H. The staples h alsoserve the additional function of securing the cover F in place, which isespecially necessary, as the cover F is made to lie'i'lat on the top ofthe basket, so that the baskets may be piled one on top of another. Asthe cover F fits flat on the top of the vertical slat B, t-he basket hasgreat strength and is well adapted for resisting vertical pressure. I amthus enabled to pile any desired number of` the baskets one on top ofanother without danger of injury to their contents.

IOO

The cover F, especially when it is composed of aseries of separate slatsf, as shown in the drawings, is or should be provided with one or morecross-slats f on the top thereof.

By combining a hat band C with the intertwisted double-wire band D atthe top of the basket the vessel or basket is given the required iaringform, as the flat metal band or hoop O permits the individual slats totit close together at their lower end, while the twists d of theintertwisted wires D D serve to separate the slats and at the same timehold them rigidly in their separated position.

I claim- 1. The flaring Slat-work vessel having a bottom land a bottomhoop and provided with a series of vertical slats clamped between saidbottom `and bottom hoop and bound together near the top by hoop-wires DD, intertwisted between the individual slats, whereby the vessel isgiven a flaring form, the intermediate i-ntertwisted portion of saidwires being sti and rigid and serving vto hold the slats separate and toretain the vessel in shape, substantiallyT as specified.

2. The combination, in a Slat-work basket, of a cover adapted to fit ontop of the vertical slats, said cover being :furnished with a tie orslat on its under face adapted to fit being intertwisted between theslats, whereby the vessel is given a flaring form, said fiat metal hoopand bottom in connection with the rigid intertwisted portions of saidhoop-wires serving to prevent the collapsing or folding of said slats atthe upper end of the vessel and to retain the vesselin shape,substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with bottom A, of vertical slats B, flat metal hoopC, hoop-wiresD D at the upper end of the vessel, said wires beingintertwisted between the slats, whereby u the vessel is given a flaringform, and cover F, having cross-slats I-I on its under side furnishedwith staples 7L h, embracing the ends of two opposite slats,substantially as speciied.

WILLIAM H. CADWELL. Vitnesses:

WM. H. PINCKNEY, FRANK E. RoBsoN.

